Delhi Capitals camp in jeopardy as David Warner gets ruled out of major tournament
Published - 24 Feb 2024, 11:25 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:27 AM
Veteran opener David Warner‘s final bilateral assignment for Australia has come to a premature end as a groin injury has ruled him out of the third and final T20I against New Zealand. The southpaw, who has already retired from Tests and ODIs, will bring down curtains on his illustrious T20I career after this year’s T20 World Cup in June.
The ongoing series is his final bilateral series as an Australian player. It means the first T20I in Wellington was his final appearance for Australia in a bilateral series.
While the star opener will be sidelined for a while due to the injury, he is likely to recover in time for the start of the Indian Premier League. David Warner is set to ply his trade for Delhi Capitals in the seventeenth edition of the Indian Premier League.
In the first T20I against the Black Caps, he scored 32 runs as Australia registered a thrilling last-ball win over the Trans-Tasman rivals. He was not a part of the playing eleven for the second game in Auckland although the Australian team management stated that he was rested. In his absence, Travis Head and Steve Smith opened the innings for Australia.
According to a report in cricket.com.au, David Warner was at the ground for the second match but did not appear on the field for the pre-game discussion. He also did not undertake 12th-man duties during the game.
David Warner hits back at the crowd:
The cricketing fraternity was eagerly looking forward to David Warner’s final game in New Zealand after his pre-season comments about the Kiwi fans. The Australia opener had opened up on the abuse he and his teammates copped from New Zealand crowds during the 2016 tour. After the incident in 2016, he described the fans’ behavior as “derogatory and vulgar”.
New Zealand did boo Warner after he was dismissed in the first T20I. The Australia star responded to the boos in style by blowing a kiss in the direction of the fans. Meanwhile, Australia have already clinched the three-match series by winning the first two games and will be eyeing a whitewash.
